Gastric Sleeve Expected Weight Loss, Results

Because there are so many different surgery options to choose from when it comes to weight loss surgery, you may begin wondering how much weight you can lose from each type of surgery. The best way to make sure that you can be realistic about your weight loss is to know how much you can expect to lose from each type of weight loss surgery available to you.

How Much Can You Lose?

There are many factors that come into play besides the surgery itself, such as your commitment to changing your lifestyle, diet, lifestyle, and exercise. The size of your new gastric sleeve will also play in your weight loss potential. For people who follow good nutrition and exercise habits after surgery, the average weight loss is 60% of excess weight following gastric sleeve surgery. With all of the right habits and practices following surgery, even greater weight loss is possible.

Why a Percentage of Excess Weight?

The best way to look at average weight loss potential is by a percentage of your excess weight. Arrive at your excess weight by subtracting your “healthy weight” goal from your current weight. This will help you determine how much you need to lose. Once you know what your excess weight number is, you can then determine how much weight you can expect to lose by shooting for the 60% goal mentioned above. The reason why you want to use a percentage is that two people who weigh two different amounts can both lose 60%, but the actual amount will vary greatly.

If you have 100lbs of excess weight, then you can expect to lose 60lbs on average.

If you have 50lbs of excess weight, then you can expect to lose 30lbs on average.

These numbers are vastly different, but the percentage of weight loss is the same.

Take your excess weight number and multiply it by 60% (0.60) to determine your expected weight loss from the gastric sleeve surgery. While you can lose more than 60% of your excess weight, this is an average number that you can generally expect at the least. You should be shooting to lose more than this through good diet and exercise following the gastric sleeve surgery.

Overall Results of Gastric Sleeve

There have been countless studies done to show the results of the gastric sleeve surgery. These studies have been performed on both a short-term and long-term success rate. Some short-term studies show patients losing up to 60% of their excess body weight in the first year following gastric sleeve, and up to 70% of excess body weight in two years. Also, many patients saw the resolution of obesity-related conditions (comorbidities) 1-2 years following their surgery. Some of these comorbidities are obstructive sleep apnea, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and Type II Diabetes.

One Swiss study showed that patients lost on average more than 57% of their excess body weight after having the gastric sleeve. While some of these numbers are lower than others, it is clear that patients do lose a lot of weight and quickly after this weight loss surgery. Some patients choose to get the duodenal switch surgery after the gastric sleeve procedure and use it to lose enough weight to qualify for that procedure.

Most of the weight is lost during the first year post op however the rest of the weight comes off slowly and patients go into maintenance mode four years following gastric sleeve. The same study also showed long-term success rates in a reduction or complete remission of heart disease and stroke risks, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obstructive sleep apnea, and Type II Diabetes.